Showing posts with label Jordyn Gerlitz. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Jordyn Gerlitz. Show all posts

Saturday, 28 November 2020

The Stars most memorable night at Agriplace Arena

First provincial title won in March of 2015

Kianna Dietz celebrates scoring for the Stars.
It might have been one of the most hyper championship celebrations of all time.

On March 25, 2015, the host Saskatoon Stars blanked the Prince Albert A & W Bears 2-0 in Game 3 of the Saskatchewan Female Midget AAA Hockey League championship series. With the win, the Stars swept the best-of-five set 3-0 and captured the Fedoruk Cup.

After the game’s final seconds ticked away at the Agriplace Arena, the Stars poured off their bench in a highly energetic celebration. They were bouncing all over the walls like young kids on a sugar rush the day after Halloween.

The pure excitement like came from the fact the Stars roster was young. The Saskatoon side had six players in their 15-year-old years and five players skating in their 14-year-old underage years.

Sophie Shirley controls the puck in the offensive zone.
Anna Leschyshyn dressed in that championship winning game as a 13-year-old associate player call up. Grace Shirley had also been playing regular season and post-season games as a 13-year-old associate player call up too.

The image of the Stars engaging in just pure and unfiltered joy was actually quite entertaining and even cute to watch. That win marked the first time the Stars won a provincial title on a circuit that is now known as the Saskatchewan Female Under-18 AAA Hockey League.

They beat their tradition rival to do it as well in a Bears side that is now known as the Prince Albert Northern Bears.

Nara Elia gets set to dangle past the Bears defence.
Looking at the Stars players, you could see they knew they did something special.

Going into that title winning game, there weren’t any thoughts about post-game celebrations on the Stars side. The focus was on beating the Bears.

The Bears had 17-year-old veteran Jessica Vance in goal who is still the SFU18AAAHL’s all-time leader in regular season goaltending wins. They had a couple of talented 17-year-old veteran forwards who could put up the points in Madison Casavant and Tylor Lindsey.

They had a 15-year-old offensive defender in Brooke Hobson, who had a shot that seemed to be given to her as a gift from the heavens and was a skilled power-play quarterback. 

The Stars celebrate a title winning goal from Jordyn Gerlitz.
Captain Morgan Willoughby, who was a 17-year-old veteran defender, was playing with grit returning halfway through the season from a serious knee injury.

Prince Albert had younger players who might be X-factors too in 14-year-old rookie underage defenders Hannah Koroll and Jordan Ashe along with 13-year-old rookie underage forward Abby Soyko.

The Bears were guided by head coach Jeff Willoughby, who was already a league veteran and two-time league coach of the year at that point in time.

The Stars countered with the two best players in the league in centre Sophie Shirley, who is Grace’s older sister, and winger Nara Elia, who were all-world talents skating in their 15-year-old sophomore years.

Captain Paige Michalenko was a steady veteran presence.
Elia scored the double overtime winner in Game 1 of the championship series with Sophie and 15-year-old winger Abby Shirley picking up assists.

In Game 2 of the series in Prince Albert, Sophie had two goals and an assist as the Stars blanked the Bears 3-0. In the Stars eight games of their post-season run to that point in time, Sophie had an incredible 12 goals and 12 assists.

The Stars were leaning on the talented Emma Johnson, who was a 15-year-old sophomore, to deliver in goal.

The five players the Stars had playing as 14-year-old underagers were already performing like veterans in forwards Mackenna Parker, Kianna Dietz, Jordyn Holmes and Jordyn Gerlitz along with supremely talented offensive defender Willow Slobodzian.

Goalie Emma Johnson keeps the Bears at bay in the third.
While the Stars were young, they were steadied by the presence of 17-year-old veterans in defender and captain Paige Michalenko, forwards Courtney Cormack and Brittany Heuchert and netminder Karlee Fetch.

Jenna Nash was having a strong season playing defence in her 17-year-old season until a knee injury brought her campaign to an end shortly before playoffs started. Nash was still around offering support to her teammates.

Danielle Nogier, who was a 16-year-old centre, did a thankless job as a tight checking defensive shutdown forward. Hollie Coumont, who was a 16-year-old defender, provided points while being a colourful character who had character.

Hollie Coumont was a character who had character.
Julia Rongve, who was played in her 15-year-old sophomore season, usually skated on the top line with Sophie Shirley and Elia and fulfilled any role the team asked of her.

 The Stars depth was rounded out by 16-year-old defender Danielle Girolami, 15-year-old defender Rayna Jacobson and 15-year-old utility player Kalista Senger. All three played important minutes at different points in the campaign.

Veteran hockey coach Greg Slobodzian took on the duties as Stars head coach that season and shared the league’s coach of the year honours in that campaign with Chad Kish, who was the head coach of the Weyburn Southern Range Gold Wings.

Anna Leschyshyn picked up an assist on the Stars second goal.
The crowd was squished into the Agriplace Arena for the Game 3 clash for the league title between the Stars and Bears on that March day in 2015.

Vance and Johnson took centre stage in the opening 20-minutes with the Stars holding a slim 8-7 edge in shots on goal. Sophie and Elia were working their magic, but weren’t able to get the host side on the scoreboard.

The Stars supporting cast stepped into the spotlight in the second period and made the ultimate difference in the contest.

At the 7:31 mark of the frame, Dietz set up Gerlitz for the tally that put the Stars up 1-0. Gerlitz, who was a speed and high energy forward, would go down as first player to score an SFU18AAAHL championship winning goal for the Stars.

The Stars begin celebrating their league title win.
Again, Gerlitz and Dietz were playing in their 14-year-old rookie underage seasons for the Stars.

Just 14 seconds later, a net scramble occurred in front of the Prince Albert net. A sprawling Vance and Morgan Willoughby couldn’t stop Dietz from popping home the all important insurance goal.

Dietz immediately raised her arms in the air and she was mobbed by her teammates on the ice. While she was a rookie, Dietz had already established herself as the glue gal in the Stars dressing room. She had a deep love for her teammates and team.

Leschyshyn picked up a helper on that tally.

The Stars raise the Fedoruk Cup.
The Bears attempted to battle back but the damage was done.

Johnson slammed the door the rest of the way officially making 22 saves to pick up the shutout win in goal. Vance turned away 20 shots taking the setback in net for the Bears.

The Stars forward unit of Nogier, Cormack and Heuchert performed a perfect shutdown job on the Bears in the final minute of the third period.

When time expired, the Stars were finally league champions.

In 2010, 2011 and 2012, the Stars made the league final but came up empty handed against Olivia Howe and her Notre Dame Hounds dynasty team.

Brittany Heuchert, left, and Hollie Coumont kiss the Fedoruk Cup.
The 2014-15 campaign was the time everything came through for the Saskatoon side in a magical season.

The Stars advanced to the Esso Cup female under-18 AAA national championship hosted that year in Red Deer, Alta., in April of 2015. Saskatoon fell to the host Red Deer Chiefs in a semifinal game 2-1 after a tiebreaking shootout.

The Stars rebounded and won the bronze medal game 5-1 against the Central Plains Capitals from Portage la Prairie, Man.

Overall, the Stars posted a 45-5 record in 2014-15.

Still, the most memorable night was winning the league championship at Agriplace.

The Stars pose for a team picture after winning the Fedoruk Cup.
Due to the fact a soldout concert wrapped up at the neighbouring SaskTel Centre, the Stars and their families were trapped by traffic at Agriplace following the championship win, and that was a good thing.

After the Stars players got showered and changed, the celebration continued for 90 minutes in the lounge area at the facility. It provided the opportune time for fellowship.

The memories made by all those with the Stars that night were ones that last for a lifetime. They truly were “the Shining Stars of Saskatoon.”

Shirley hits milestones with Badgers

Sophie Shirley added a couple of big milestones to her already well-decorated hockey resume over the past couple of days.

On Friday, the gifted centre, who is in her junior year, picked up an assist as her University of Wisconsin Badgers women’s hockey team fell in their NCAA regular season opener 3-2 to the Ohio State University Buckeyes in Columbus, Ohio.

The helper was Shirley’s 100th career NCAA point.

On Saturday, the 21-year-old Saskatoon product scored twice to power the Badgers past the Buckeyes 5-0 in the second clash of a two-game series in Columbus, Ohio.

Shirley’s first tally was her 50th career NCAA goal. In 79 career games with the Badgers, Shirley has 51 goals and 51 assists for 102 points.

During her rookie campaign in 2018-19, Shirley piled up 20 goals and 18 assists for 38 points in 41 games helping the Badgers win an NCAA national championship.

Last season, Shirley recorded an incredible 29 goals and 32 assists for 61 points in 36 games for the Badgers. She was a finalist for the Patty Kazmaier Award as the top player in NCAA women’s hockey.

The Badgers weren’t able to complete their post-season run in 2020 due to the coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic that has gripped the world.

Shirley played two complete seasons for the Saskatoon Stars female under-18 AAA team and three games as an associate player call up in the 2012-13 season. In 58 career regular season games with the Stars, Shirley piled up 41 goals and 27 assists for 68 points.

At the moment, the Badgers are set to return to action this coming Friday, when they are scheduled to travel to Minneapolis, Minn., to play the University of Minnesota Golden Gophers.

Clark celebrates 25th birthday on Saturday

Emily Clark meets her fans at the SaskTel Centre in Nov. 2018.
Emily Clark, who has made her mark as one of Saskatoon’s all-time hockey greats, celebrated her 25th birthday on Saturday.

Clark, who is a member of Canada’s senior national women’s hockey team, played three seasons for her hometown Saskatoon Stars female under-18 AAA hockey team from 2009 to 2012. The supremely talented forward appeared in 82 regular season games for the Stars piling up 45 goals and 46 assists for 91 points.

During her final campaign with the Stars in 2011-12, Clark set the team record for most points scored in one regular season at 60. She piled up 26 goals and 34 assists for 60 points in 26 regular season games.

Her Stars record for most points in one regular season was matched by centre Mackenna Parker in the 2017-18 campaign, when Parker piled up 33 goals and 27 assists for 60 points in 23 regular season games.

Emily Clark, centre, with her old Stars teammates in Dec. 2019.
Clark’s number 13 was retired by the Stars in December of 2019.

Clark won two gold medals representing Canada at the women’s under-18 world hockey championships in 2011-12 and 2012-13.

She was a member of Canada’s women’s hockey team that won a silver medal at the 2018 Winter Olympics in PyeongChang, South Korea.

Clark played four seasons with the University of Wisconsin Badgers women’s hockey team from 2014 to 2019 posting 70 goals and 76 assists for 146 points in 147 career NCAA games. She helped the Badgers win an NCAA national championship in her final season with the team in 2018-19.

In all her hockey stops, Clark has been popular with all her teammates. She continues to be one of the game’s top role models.

If you have any comments you would like to pass along about this post, feel free to email them to stankssports@gmail.com.

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Friday, 20 April 2018

Could third time be a charm for Stars at Esso Cup?

Jordyn Holmes, left, and Mackenna Parker hope to enjoy an Esso Cup title.
    Captain Mackenna Parker believes this might the best chance her Saskatoon Stars have of winning the Esso Cup.
    The Stars are making their third appearance in the last four years at the national female midget AAA hockey championship tournament. The Stars open play at this year’s six-team tourney at the Lunenburg County Lifestyle Centre in Bridgewater, N.S., in the event’s first game on Sunday against the Brampton Canadettes from Ontario.
    Saskatoon has a lifetime 8-6 record at the Esso Cup winning a bronze medal in 2015 and falling in the bronze medal game in 2016. Parker, who is in her 17-year-old and final season of midget eligibility, was with the Stars in their previous two visits to nationals and is pumped to return for a third time.
    “I’m so excited,” said Parker, who topped the Stars in scoring with 33 goals and 27 assists in 23 regular season games. “This time I think that we can actually win or if we are doing our best, we actually have a shot at the gold medal.
    “I wanted it last year too. It is more exciting this year.”
    The Stars have an advantage in the experience. Along with Parker, forwards Jordyn Holmes and Kianna Dietz played in the 2015 Esso Cup along with centre Grace Shirley, who was an associate player call up.
Mackenna Parker will go down as one of the Stars all-time greats.
    Winger Jordyn Gerlitz also suited up for the Stars that season at nationals, but she will be unavailable this year due to breaking her collarbone in the Stars 6-2 win in Game 2 of their Western regional playdown series on April 7 against the Eastman Selects in Steinbach, Man.
    Parker, Holmes, Dietz, Gerlitz and Shirley were all part of the Stars team that appeared in the 2016 Esso Cup along with standout forwards Anna Leschyshyn and Joelle Fiala, defensive defender Dana Wood and standout netminder Jordan Ivanco. Parker, Holmes, Dietz, Gerlitz, Wood and Ivanco are all playing out their final midget AAA campaigns.
    On top of that experience, Parker and Shirley were members of Canada’s team that won a bronze medal at the under-18 women’s worlds in Dmitrov, Russia, in January.
    Holmes believes her squad’s experience factor will be a calming influence at Esso Cup.
    “It is going to help a lot, especially with the young ones,” said the gritty defensive forward. “We’ll be able to like show them along and teach them what to do.
    “If they are nervous, we can like help them like try to calm it and know what to do with it.”
    Parker believes the fact that her team has a large group of players that have played together for an extended period of years will be a benefit at Esso Cup as well.
    “I think it will help a lot, because we all know each other and we all like have such good chemistry,” said Parker. “There is so many of us graduating this year that we all want it so bad too.
Jordyn Holmes (#44) has been a standout defensive forward for the Stars.
    “We want to go out with that win and doing the best that we can. Especially being able to do it with them the past four years, I think that will be great.”
    For the 10 members of the Stars who will make their first appearance at the Esso Cup, Holmes said the biggest advice she will pass on is to look after yourself physically. If the Stars make the playoff round, they will ultimately play seven games over seven days.
    “With all the hockey, I would say keep your fluids up and make sure you are stretched out and your body is feeling good every day,” said Holmes. “After cooldown at the rink, do it then, but then also back at the hotel.
    “I suggest like that is what I would think would be better for us.”
    Head coach Greg Slobodzian has guided the Stars to their two previous appearances at the Esso Cup. He noted his team has a calm going into this year’s tournament that didn’t necessarily exist in the previous two visits.
    “It is exciting every time you get to go to anything that is hosted by Hockey Canada,” said Slobodzian. “They do such a good job.
    “The first time obviously you go in wide eyed not knowing what to expect excited and giddy. The second time I think we’re like, “Yeah, you know we can do this.” This time, sure there are a few girls that haven’t been to it, but the whole attitude is like, “Yeah, let’s just go there and do it and take care of business.”
Defensive defender Dana Wood is closing out her career with the Stars.
    “It is a little bit different. We’re not going to be as not necessarily awestruck.”
    While the Stars will only be able to use 16 skaters each game due to the injury to Gerlitz, Slobodzian his players can handle the big volume of games.
    “I’m not really worried about our conditioning,” said Slobodzian, whose team is 8-0 in the post-season and 38-6-1 overall this season. “The girls are in really great shape right now. The layoffs that we’ve had in between series have really helped that.
    “It is not as if we are worn out by no means. It is still a lot of hockey, and we have to make sure that you manage the girls’ minutes properly.”
    Of course with a national tournament like the Esso Cup, the Stars will see teams they haven’t played in the current campaign like the Canadettes. Holmes said the big key will be to adjust on the fly.
    “It is going to be difficult not being able to watch on film and know exactly what they are doing,” said Holmes. “We’ll just have to play our game and adapt.”
    The Esso Cup field is rounded out by the defending champion St. Albert Slash from Alberta, the Pionnieres de Lanaudiere from Terrebonne, Quebec, the Northern Subway Selects from New Glasgow, N.S., and tournament hosts Metro Boston Pizza.
The Stars hope to keep the victory celebrations going at Esso Cup.
    The six teams will play each other in a round robin with the top four clubs advancing to the tournament’s two semifinal games, which will be held on Friday, April 27. The bronze and gold medal games will be held on Saturday, April 28.
    Both Parker and Holmes would love to close out their midget AAA careers with a win in the Esso Cup’s championship game.
    “It would mean so much to me,” said Parker.  “I’ve wanted it for the past four years since I’ve played with Stars.
    “I just want to be able to celebrate and throw my hands into the air and like say that I won the Esso Cup with my team. That would be amazing. I hope we can do it.”
    “It would be indescribable what it would feel like to be able to go out with a win my last year,” said Holmes. “It would just be amazing. I just hope so bad.”

    If you have any comments you would like to pass along about this post, feel free to email them to stankssports@gmail.com.
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Monday, 9 April 2018

A sweep return to Esso Cup for SFMAAAHL champion Stars

Clock strikes midnight on Selects’ “Cinderella” campaign

The Stars are going back to the Esso Cup. (Photo courtesy Jason Schneider)
    The Saskatoon Stars offensive firepower proved to be too much for the Eastman Selects to handle.
    The Stars swept a best-of-three Western regional playdown series between the two clubs 2-0 over the weekend at the T.G. Smith Centre in Steinbach, Man. The Stars claimed Game 1 on Friday night 7-0 and closed out the series with a 6-2 victory in Game 2 on Saturday.
    With the series victory, the Stars advance to the six-team Esso Cup national female midget AAA championship tournament to be held April 22 to 28 in Bridgewater, N.S. This will mark the third time over the last four years the Stars have advanced to the Esso Cup. They won a bronze medal at the 2015 tournament in Red Deer, Alta., and finished fourth at the 2016 tournament in Weyburn, Sask.
    In the series with the Selects, the Stars entered as the favourites finishing first in the Saskatchewan Female Midget AAA Hockey League with a 24-3-1 regular season record. They advanced through the SFMAAAHL playoffs win a 6-0 record.
    The Selects, who are based out of Ste. Anne, Man., finished fifth in the seven team Manitoba Female AAA Midget Hockey League with a 13-12-5 record. They proceeded to roll off three upset best-of-five series victories to capture the MFMHL title for the first time in team history.
    In quarter-final series, the Selects swept the Shoal Lake based Yellowhead Chiefs 3-0, and the Chiefs were 14-10-6 in regular season play. In a semifinal series, the Selects got past the Winnipeg Avros 3-1, and the Avros topped the MFMHL standings with a 25-5 record.
    In the MFMHL finals, the Selects faced the defending league champion Pembina Valley Hawks, who are based out of Morden. The Hawks finished second in the MFMHL with a 20-8-2 record. On the strength of a pair of overtime victories to close out the series, the Selects prevailed 3-1 to capture the Manitoba championship.
Captain Mackenna Parker scored three goals for the Stars this past weekend.
    Saskatoon received goals from five different players in their 7-0 victory in Game 1 on Friday. Captain Mackenna Parker and Grace Shirley each scored twice, while Kaitlin Jockims, Calli Arnold and Jordyn Gerlitz each netted singles. Jordan Ivanco made 13 saves to pick up the win in goal for the Stars.
    Raygan Kirk stopped 15-of-19 shots fired her way starting in goal for the Selects before being pulled after the first period. Meagan Relf turned away 28-of-31 shots playing the rest of the way in relief.
    In Saturday’s 6-2 victory by the Stars in Game 2, Anna Leschyshyn scored twice for Saskatoon, while Jockims, Parker, Kianna Dietz and Jayda Sachs had singles. Ivanco turned away 17 shots to pick up the win in goal for the Stars.
    Chelsea Dinnin and Samantha Christensen replied with singles for the Selects. Kirk turned away 39 shots going the distance taking the setback in goal for the Selects.
    The Stars have nine players on their roster remaining from the team’s 2016 appearance in the Esso Cup including Ivanco, Dana Wood, Leschyshyn, Parker, Dietz, Shirley, Gerlitz, Joelle Fiala and Jordyn Holmes. Their experience is expected to be key for the squad going forward.
    Besides capturing the Lanchbery Family Trophy as Western regional playdown series winners, the Stars honoured the Humboldt Broncos of the Saskatchewan Junior Hockey League on Saturday wearing green and gold tape on their skates and sticks. The junior A Broncos’ team bus was involved in a tragic accident on Friday with a semi-trailer truck, and 15 people on the bus died as a result.

    The Selects raised $700 for the GoFundMe account to support the Broncos.


    If you have any comments you would like to pass along about this post, feel free to email them to stankssports@gmail.com.
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Sunday, 26 November 2017

Dietz - the Stars unsung hero

Kianna Dietz gets set to wire a shot on goal for the Stars.
    Kianna Dietz is the “glue gal” who helps the Saskatoon Stars go.
    The 17-year-old centre has been a member of the Stars since the start of the 2014-15 campaign, and has quietly gone out and given her best on a nightly basis. A number of her teammates have piled up the points offensively and received more recognition, but Dietz, who stands 5-foot-9, has been a regular filling a gritty checking role and chipped in points when needed.
    She has displayed soft hands in the offensive zone on occasion either making plays or scoring goals.
    Dietz has played a key role in helping the Stars win Saskatchewan Female Midget AAA Hockey League championships in 2015 and 2016 and subsequently appear in the Esso Cup national championship tournament.
Kianna Dietz celebrates scoring in Game 3 of the 2015 SFMAAAHL finals.
    The Hanley, Sask., product was an important contributor to the Stars posting their best regular season record ever last season at 25-2-1 and making it to a third straight league championship series, where they fell to the Prince Albert Northern Bears.
    On Sunday at the Agriplace Arena, Dietz happened to be in a key place again helping set up a third period goal by Joelle Fiala to give the Stars a 5-2 lead on the visiting Melville Prairie Fire. That tally turned out to be the winning goal, as the Stars held on for a 5-4 victory.
    Dietz is part of a group of six playing out their final season of midget eligibility with the Stars including Mackenna Parker, Jordyn Gerlitz, Jordyn Holmes, Dana Wood and Jordan Ivanco, and she wouldn’t trade her time with the team for anything.
    “It has been great,” said Dietz, who had nine goals and six assists in 28 regular season games last season for the Stars. “It is a great four years with lots of memories.
Kianna Dietz breaks into the offensive zone for the Stars on Sunday.
    “I just want to finish with like a good year. There are six graduating, so we definitely want to finish strong.”
    Dietz has had a couple of signature moments with the team as well. In the female final of the prestigious Mac’s Midget Tournament in Calgary in January of 2015, Dietz had a goal in the Stars 4-2 victory over the Calgary Fire at the Scotiabank Saddledome.
    On March 25, 2015 at the Agriplace Arena, Dietz set up the Stars first ever SFMAAAHL championship winning goal, which was scored by Gerlitz. Dietz proceeded to net the insurance marker to help the Stars down the Bears 2-0 in Game 3 of the SFMAAAHL series and sweep the best-of-five set 3-0.
    Dietz said playing for the Stars has had a big impact on her life, and that she has been lucky to have Greg Slobodzian as her head coach for a fifth straight season. Slobodzian was Dietz’s head coach on the Saskatoon Comets bantam AA team during the 2013-14 campaign.
Joelle Fiala had a pair of goals for the Stars on Sunday.
    “It has definitely made me the player that I am today,” said Dietz, who has a goal and a career high nine assists in 12 appearances this season for the Stars. “With Greg especially coaching me for five years now, it has helped me so much.
    “My game has definitely improved a lot.”
    Slobodzian said Dietz is one of those players that can deliver insight to the coaches. The two often have a lot of conversations about what they saw watching NHL games on television. Dietz will watch as many NHL games as she can during a hockey season.
    “She is a real smart kid who gets and understands the game,” said Slobodzian. “There are often times she will be like, ‘Hey coach, look at what they are doing.’
    “She will pick something out before I see it.”
    The bench boss said that even before Sunday’s game Dietz visited the coach’s office and asked how her game was and what she needed to improve on.
Captain Mackenna Parker had the Stars fourth goal on Sunday.
    “If you have every athlete like that sort of taking ownership of like, ‘OK, how am I doing and how can I help,’ it would be great to have 19 girls putting that kind of thought process into it,” said Slobodzian. “That is the type of girl she is.
    “She has great hands, a great shot and is super smart. Unfortunately, she has to get just a little bit quicker, and that is often the case with some players.
    “She is great. I have always enjoyed coaching her. She really, really cares.”
    Dietz came away a bit disappointed with how her team played on Friday. The Stars jumped ahead 3-0 in the first period with goals from Anna Leschyshyn, Gerlitz and Fiala.
    In the second period, Erin Armstrong scored for the Prairie Fire and Mackenna Parker replied for the Stars to allow Saskatoon to head into the second intermission with a 4-1 edge.
Anna Leschyshyn scored the Stars first goal on Sunday.
    Kailey Ottenbreit scored for Melville at the 6:43 mark of the third to cut Saskatoon’s edge to 4-2.
Dietz proceeded to set up Fiala’s second of the night to give the Stars a 5-2 edge.
    Saskatoon had to hold on as Jordan Fry and Jaydea Guenter-Belte netted singles for the Prairie Fire to cut the host’s edge to 5-4, but that was as close as the visitors would get.
    Ivanco made 26 stops to pick up the win in goal for the Stars, who improved to 13-0. Taylor Nagy turned away 33 shots to take the setback in goal for the Prairie Fire, who fell to 5-9.  
    “We know we can be better than that, so we have to really work harder and put in a whole 60 minutes for a game,” said Dietz. “They work really hard that team, and we kind of didn’t keep our foot on the pedal the whole game.”
The Stars celebrate their win on Sunday.
    Due to the fact the Stars have experience so much success, Dietz said her team has to fight the false sense of security feeling that the wins are just going to happen.
    “We have to know that each game we have to come prepared to work our hardest,” said Dietz. “Even in practice, we have to work to keep up that tempo we know we can play with.
    “We just have to make sure we work hard for it.”
    The Stars resume their regular season schedule on Dec. 16, when they travel to Swift Current to take on the Diamond Energy Wildcats.

    If you have any comments you would like to pass along about this post, feel free to email them to stankssports@gmail.com.
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Tuesday, 21 March 2017

Sweet title sweep for Bears

P.A. turns tables on Stars from 2015, wins Fedoruk Cup

Bears captain Brooke Hobson holds the Fedoruk Cup during a team picture.
    Winning a league championship was all that much more sweet for Brooke Hobson, because she remember all too well what it was like to be on the other side.
    The captain for the Prince Albert Northern Bears has way too many bad memories about how tough it was to be swept out of the Saskatchewan Female Midget AAA Hockey League championship series losing the series clinching game to the host Saskatoon Stars at the Agriplace Arena two years ago. 
    Fast forward to Tuesday night and Hobson and her Bears were back at the Agriplace Arena in the SFMAAAHL final looking to sweep away the Stars, who were the two-time defending league champs.
    The Bears pulled out a 4-2 victory to sweep the best-of-five series 3-0 and capture the Fedoruk Cup for the second time in team history before a packed house. Prince Albert last won the SFMAAAHL title back in 2009.
Captain Brooke Hobson is the Bears grizzled vet.
    “It is awesome,” said Hobson. “This is my fifth year trying to run for the title and getting it in my last year definitely means a lot to me.
    “I have been working hard since my first day on this team, and this finally came to pay off here. The emotions are definitely flipped upside down here from losing. Having beat the team that beat us that last year we were in the finals definitely means a lot.”
    Hobson, who was a member of Canada’s under-18 women’s team, is the most battled hardened out of all the Bears players. The 17-year-old defender, who is in her final season of midget eligibility, has appeared in a team record 128 regular season games piling up 41 goals and 45 assists. She has appeared in an SFMAAAHL record 46 playoffs games posting five goals and 24 assists.
    In Game 3 on Tuesday, Hobson had a key role in manufacturing her side’s biggest goal of the season. With the Bears locked in a 2-2 draw with the Stars in the third period, Hobson fed a pass to forward Jasper Desmarais to spring a two-on-one break.
    Desmarais fed a perfect pass across the front of the Saskatoon net to linemate Camryn Amundson, who calmly tucked home the championship winner at the 12:19 mark of the frame.
Brooklyn Anderson jets up ice for the Bears.
    “She (Amundson) comes out shinning whenever we need her,” said Hobson. “I am super proud of her and my whole team. She is awesome.”
    Amundson, who is in her second season with the Bears, was pumped to be the finisher on what she thought was some great work by her teammates.
    “It was the perfect pass,” said Amundson. “Jasper (Desmarais) gave me the perfect pass, and if I missed it, I would have been so disappointed.”
    “It wasn’t that great of a shot, but it snuck through. I am just glad it did.”
    The Stars came out with the big jump, when forward Brooke Hausermann scored at the 3:21 mark of the first period on her team’s third shot of the contest to give Saskatoon a 1-0 lead. The hosts held a 10-5 edge in shots over the opening 20 minutes and carried the majority of the play over that time.
    Momentum changed early in the second, when Bears standout forward Abby Soyko scored in her team’s first shot of the period to tie things up a 1-1 just 2:27 in. Brooklyn Anderson proceeded to put the Bears ahead 2-1 scoring just 2:07 after Soyko’s goal.
    Saskatoon regrouped before the second period ended. During a net scramble with 3:24 to play, Jordyn Gerlitz scored to put the Stars on even terms with the Bears at 2-2.
Hannah Koroll (#20) makes a clear for the Bears.
    That set the stage for the play that resulted in Amundson’s series winner. Jadyn Kushniruk added an empty-net tally with 24.7 seconds to play to round out the scoring for the Bears.
    Bears head coach Jeff Willoughby, who is in his sixth season guiding the team as head coach, was proud to see his players win the SFMAAAHL title and quietly admitted it felt good from a personal standpoint.
    “It is like you built a big building,” said Willoughby. “It has been a long time coming.
    “We have seven girls that played in this final two years ago. We had 11 girls that lost a heartbreaker last year in the semifinals.
    “We’ve had our chance to be on the other side, the losing side, so we know what it feels like. It makes this win special.”
    Ryan Fontaine turned away 24 shots to pick up the win in goal for the Bears, who posted a perfect 9-0 record in the SFMAAAHL playoffs. Jordan Ivanco stopped 22-of-25 shots to take the loss in net for the Stars.
Alli Soyko (#22) enjoys victory with a couple of her Bears teammates.
    Willoughby said his players did a good job playing as a unit of five throughout the series, which helped put the Bears in favourable situations.
    “I think from the first game it was our plan to make sure we tried to match them five-on-five, don’t over pursue pucks and cause two-on-one situations for them,” said Willoughby. “I think the girls were resilient doing that.
    “They were consistent, and I think that was the biggest factor.”
    The Bears will now host a best-of-three Western regional playdown series against the Westman Wildcats, who play out of Hartney, Man. Game 1 of that series is set for March 31 at 7 p.m. at the Art Hauser Centre in Prince Albert.

    If you have any comments you would like to pass along about this post, feel free to email them to stankssports@gmail.com.
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Sunday, 20 March 2016

Stars rally falls short

Wildcats take 1-0 lead in SFMAAAHL title series

Anna Leschyshyn drives hard to the goal for the Stars.
    The Saskatoon Stars don’t normally dig themselves into big holds, but the one they dug on Sunday night cost them the opening game of the Saskatchewan Female Midget AAA Hockey League championship series.
    Opening the series at home at the Agriplace Arena, the Stars fell behind 4-1 to the Swift Current Diamond Energy Wildcats heading into the second intermission. The hosts made a furious rally scoring twice in the third, but the Wildcats were able to close out a 4-3 victory in Game 1 of the best-of-five series.
    The Wildcats got the jump on the Stars from the opening faceoff and controlled play throughout the first period. At the 6:13 mark of the first, the Wildcats opened the game’s scoring when rookie forward Brooklyn Colburn potted her first goal of the post-season. That tally seemed to knock the Stars back on their heels for a good part of the first two periods.
    With 3.3 seconds to play in the first, Swift Current added a dagger of an insurance goal, when Kayla Kirwan picked up her first marker of the post-season to go along with seven assists. Swift Current outshot Saskatoon 17-8 in the opening 20 minutes.
    The visitor’s surge didn’t end there. At the 6:17 mark of the second, Wildcats winger Kaci Jones scored to give her side a 3-0 edge.
    The Stars managed to halt the bleeding for a short moment, when Jordyn Gerlitz popped her first of the post-season just 37 seconds after Jones’ goal to cut the Wildcats edge to 3-1.
Josee Casavant, right, celebrates her goal with Kate Scidmore.
    Swift Current resorted its three-goal edge with 3:05 to play in the second. Breaking into the Stars zone on a two-on-one rush, Wildcats winger Kate Scidmore slipped a smart pass over to linemate Josee Casavant, which sprung her on a breakaway. Casavant tucked home her fourth goal of the playoffs to give the Wildcats a 4-1 edge.
    Shortly after that goal, Wildcats star forward Chloe Smith had a breakaway chance, but she was denied by Stars netminder Emma Johnson.
    In the third, the Stars, who are the defending SFMAAAHL champs, started to hit their stride. They cut the Wildcats lead to 4-2, when offensive defender Willow Slobodzian blasted home a point-shot goal on the power play.
    With 7:04 to play in the third, the Stars pinned the Wildcats in their zone for a long stretch that resulted in a goal from Abby Shirley to further cut Swift Current’s lead to 4-3.
    Saskatoon almost found the equalizer a short time after Shirley’s goal. Power forward Anna Leschyshyn, who already stands 5-foot-10 at age 14, muscled her way past a Wildcats defender on a one-on-one rush for a scoring chance, but she was stoned by 17-year-old veteran goalie Jasey Book.
    Book, who has committed to play for the University of Saskatchewan Huskies women’s team in the fall, made 29 stops to earn the win in goal for Swift Current. Johnson turned away 27 shots to take the loss in Saskatoon’s net.
Stars goalie Emma Johnson stops Wildcats forward Janessa Fournier.
    The Stars topped the SFMAAAHL regular season standings with a 24-4 mark, while the Wildcats were second with a 19-6-3 record. Saskatoon won all four head-to-head regular season meetings between the two clubs, but the all of those encounters came before Dec. 1, 2015.
    Game 2 of the SFMAAAHL championship series is set for Wednesday in Swift Current for a 7 p.m. start at the Fairview Arena. Game 3 will be in Saskatoon on Thursday for a 6:15 p.m. start at the Agriplace Arena.

    If you have any comments you would like to pass along about this post, feel free to email them to stankssports@gmail.com.
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Sunday, 13 March 2016

Puck luck shines Stars way

Stars forward Jordyn Gerlitz hugs overtime hero Mackenna Parker (#11).
    The Saskatoon Stars won’t complain if a break or two falls their way.
    On Sunday night at the Agriplace Arena, the Stars cashed in on a Weyburn Southern Range Gold Wings giveaway to pull out a 3-2 double overtime victory in Game 3 of a best-of-five Saskatchewan Female Midget AAA Hockey League semifinal series between the two clubs.
    At the 3:58 mark of a second overtime period, a Gold Wings defender coughed the puck up to Stars forward Anna Leschyshyn. Leschyshyn got the puck to linemate Julia Rongve, who fed a beauty pass across the face of the Weyburn goal to Mackenna Parker. Parker tapped home her sixth goal of the post-season to win the contest for the defending SFMAAAHL champs.
    The victory allows the Stars to take a 2-1 lead in the series. They will try to wrap the series up in Game 4 on Tuesday in Weyburn.
    Saskatoon entered play Sunday looking to bounce back from a 1-0 double overtime setback on Friday in Weyburn. In Sunday’s encounter, the Stars came out with a lot of early pressure.
    They broke through on the scoreboard with three minutes to play in the first period, when 14-year-old forward Joelle Fiala wired a shot through a screen to the top corner of the Weyburn goal.
Stars goalie Emma Johnson robs Gold Wings forward Bailee Bourassa.
    Just 77 seconds later, Saskatoon went ahead 2-0 on what appeared to be a phantom goal. Offensive defender Willow Slobodzian fired a shot on net that disturbed the water bottle that sat on top of the Weyburn goal.
    It appeared the shot grazed the top of the bottle, but the officials said the puck went into the net after a lengthy conference discussion.
    The lead evaporated in the second period, when Weyburn forward Bailee Bourassa netted a couple of tallies late in the frame to force a 2-2 tie. Bourassa, who has committed to play for the University of Saskatchewan Huskies women’s team next season, wired home the equalizer from the slot through a screen, while her squad was on the power play.
    Late in the third, a break went Weyburn’s way to allow the game to get to overtime. With the Stars pressing for the go-ahead goal during a net scramble around the Weyburn net, Bourassa covered the puck up with her hand in the crease to freeze play. A penalty shot should have been awarded, but the officials whistled the play dead for an offensive zone faceoff.
Mackenna Parker circles in the offensive zone for the Stars.
    In the first overtime period, Bourassa had a huge chance to win the game for the visitors, but she was robbed in close by Stars netminder Emma Johnson. Saskatoon then took the contest with Parker’s tally in the second extra session.
    Johnson made 27 stops to earn the win in goal for the Stars. Chantal Burke turned away 40 shots in another stellar effort in goal for Weyburn.
    In the other SFMAAAHL best-of-five semifinal series, the Swift Current Diamond Energy Wildcats dumped the Prince Albert A & W Bears 6-0 in Game 3 on Saturday in Swift Current. The Wildcats lead that series 2-1 with Game 4 set for Monday in Prince Albert.

    If you have any comments you would like to pass along about this post, feel free to email them to stankssports@gmail.com.
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Saturday, 18 April 2015

Stars get going for real at Esso Cup


The Saskatoon Stars celebrate a goal by Jordyn Gerlitz.
    After building up anticipation over 24 off days, the Saskatoon Stars will finally get to play at nationals.
    The local midget AAA girls' hockey team left Saskatoon for Red Deer on Saturday to take part in the six team Esso Cup national championship tournament. Saskatoon opens the tournament Sunday, when they take on the Sudbury Lady Wolves. That match happens open the overall schedule for the tourney.
    Sudbury is making its second straight appearance at the Esso Cup after repeating as Ontario provincial champs. The Wolves were 16-5-1 during the regular season and won a bronze medal at last year's Esso Cup.
    The Stars are participating in the Esso Cup for the first time in team history. They have had a memorable season winning the Mac's tournament for the second time in team history and capturing their first Saskatchewan Female Midget AAA Hockey League title. Including action in the SFMAAAHL regular season and post-season and the Mac's, Saskatoon enters the Esso Cup sporting a 40-3 overall record.
    The contest between Saskatoon and Sudbury contains a classic rest versus rust storyline. The Stars, who have the youngest team at the Esso Cup, haven't played a game since downing the Prince Albert A & W Bears 2-0 in the final contest of the SFMAAAHL championship series on March 25. The Wolves only had a break of about seven days since winning the Ontario final.
Sophia Shirley has been invited to a Hockey Canada camp in May.
    Saskatoon was led in scoring by the dynamic duo of Nara Elia and Sophia Shirley, who were first and second respectively in SFMAAAHL scoring. Elia had 23 goals and 17 assists helping the Stars post a 25-3 regular season record, while Shirley had 22 goals and 17 assists. Both have two years of midget eligibility remaining.
    Shirley was recently invited to Canada's National Women's Program strength and conditioning camp, which runs May 6-10 in Hamilton, Ont.
    The Esso Cup will mark the final games captain Paige Michalenko, Brittany Heuchert, Courtney Cormack and Karlee Fetch at the midget level. Defender Jenna Nash, who has committed to play for the University of Saskatchewan Huskies, will also graduate from the midget ranks, but the she will sit out the Esso Cup due to injury with an anterior cruciate ligament tear in one of her knees.
    The six teams at the Esso Cup will play five round robin games each, and the top four teams advance to the tournament's semifinal round on April 24. The bronze and gold medal games close the event on April 25.

Swan song for Tigers overagers

Tyler Lewington, left, celebrates a goal with Marek Langhamer.
    The WHL's Medicine Hat Tigers arguably will miss their three overage graduates more than most teams in the major junior ranks will.
    When the Tigers saw their playoff run come to an end Friday with a 4-3 double overtime loss to the Hitmen in Calgary, the major junior careers of goaltender Marek Langhamer and defencemen Tyler Lewington and Kyle Becker came to a conclusion. All three were key contributors to the Tigers on the ice and in the dressing room.
    Langhamer, who has an NHL entry-level contract signed with the Arizona Coyotes, was with the Tigers for three campaigns posting a 68-42-7 record, a 2.86 goals against average, a .905 save percentage and six shutouts during his regular season career. At the moment, it appears the Czech product will be the last European goaltender to play in the WHL unless the Canadian Hockey League changes its import player rules to allow overseas goalies to play again.
    He again had a big post-season posting a 5-5 record in 10 starts with a 2.28 goals against average and a .924 save percentage.
    Lewington, who has an NHL entry-level contract signed with the Washington Capitals, spent four seasons with the Tigers. He arguably had one of the highest compete levels out of any player in the WHL, and he was the Tigers captain this past season. The Sherwood Park, Alta., product was solid in both the offensive and defensive zones posting nine goals, 36 assists, a plus-25 rating in the plus-minus department and 113 penalty minutes in 69 regular season games this past campaign.
    Becker finished the 2011-12 season with the Tigers playing 11 regular season games and two post-season contests and became a full-time team member for the past three campaigns. The Langley, B.C., product developed a reputation for handling the back end with a calming presence. As an overager, he posted 11 goals, 14 assists and a plus-11 rating in 57 regular season games.
    The Tigers entered the 2014-15 campaign with the potential to go a long way in the post-season. They fell 4-1 in a best-of-seven second round series to the Hitmen.
Kyle Becker, right, clears a puck out from deep in his zone.
    Medicine Hat's undoing in the playoffs was due to the fact the offence dried up. In 10 post-season games, the Tigers gave up 25 goals against but only had 25 goals for. Three of the five games with the Hitmen went to overtime, and Calgary claimed two of those contests, which turned out to be the final two games of the series.
    The overtime results were a key factor in the Hitmen winning the series, and it also showed the Tigers weren't able to get the goals they needed at key times in that best-of-seven set.
    Going forward, Langhamer, Lewington and Becker all have potential to experience longer futures in hockey. The Tigers have made the playoffs for 13 straight seasons, and it wouldn't be a surprise to see them extend that run to 14 seasons in 2015-16, when the begin play in the new Medicine Hat Regional Event Centre.
    With their playoff elimination, the Tigers time playing games out of The Arena, which is their long time legendary home rink, has come to an end.

Wapple valiant for Pats

Daniel Wapple stood tall in goal for the Pats in the playoffs.
    Daniel Wapple made the Brandon Wheat Kings sweat.
    The Wheat Kings, who topped the WHL's regular season standings with a 53-11-4-4 mark, were heavy favourites to take out Wapple's Regina Pats in the second round of the post-season. Regina appeared to be in a rebuilding phase trading away a number of key veterans before the league's trade deadline, but the Pats surprised many finishing eighth overall with a 37-24-5-6 record.
    The Pats qualified for just their second appearance in the second round since 1998. They swept the Swift Current Broncos 4-0 in the opening round and were playing with house money.
    After the Wheat Kings took the first two games of their series with the Pats, Wapple stepped up to give Brandon all sorts of fits. The Saskatoon product made 39 saves in a 3-2 Pats victory in Game 3 of the series in Regina. Game 4 in Regina went to overtime, and Wapple made 45 saves before Brandon escaped with a 3-2 win.
    In Game 5 on Friday in Brandon, Wapple made 48 stops before the Wheat Kings prevailed again in overtime by a 3-2 score.
    Wapple will likely be back with the Pats for his overage season, which has to make fans in the Queen City feel good about their prospects in the 2015-16 campaign.

Narcisse all-star event set for Saskatoon

A Don Narcisse card from 1999.
    Former Saskatchewan Roughriders wide receiver Don Narcisse has a one-day football kids' camp coming up in Saskatoon.
    The camp is slated for Saturday, April 25, and it is set to run from 7 a.m. to 3 p.m. at the Sasktel Sports Centre. The camp is open for players aged 7 to 18 and the cost is $80 per player plus GST. The fees include a T-shirt and lunch.
    Following the camp, there will be a dinner gala held at the Travelodge Hotel at 6 p.m. with current Roughriders star defensive end John Chick slated to be the keynote speaker. Tickets for the gala dinner are $100 plus GST individually or $750 plus GST for a table of eight. Narcisse has goal to sell 20 tables by Tuesday, and he had six sold by Saturday.
    All proceeds from the camp and the dinner gala go to support Big Brothers and Big Sisters of Saskatoon and Area. Registration for the camp or gala can done by phoning 306-652-1487 or by going online through Narcisse's website by clicking here.

Oilers build NHL Draft Lottery dynasty

A memento from the Oilers winning era.
    The Edmonton Oilers accomplished a dubious milestone on Saturday.
    For the fourth time in six years, the Oilers won the NHL Draft Lottery, and they will have the first overall selection at the 2015 NHL Entry Draft set for June 26-27 in Sunrise, Florida. The distinction is dubious, because the Oilers also had to finish low enough for a number of consecutive years in the NHL standings to collect those first overall picks.
    The consensus first overall pick this year is viewed as a big prize in forward Connor McDavid of the Erie Otters of the Ontario Hockey League. McDavid, who netted 44 goals and 76 assists in 47 regular season games with the Otters, is being described as the best draft prospect since the Pittsburgh Penguins selected Sidney Crosby back in 2005.
    The Oilers haven't made the playoffs since 2006, when they advanced to the Stanley Cup finals and fell in seven-game series to the Carolina Hurricanes. Since that time, Edmonton's NHL team has been the butt end of jokes for how bad it has been.
    When it was announced the Oilers had the first overall pick, social media, especially Twitter, blew up. People were in disbelief the Oilers won the pick. There were all sorts of predictions made that the Oilers will find a way to mess everything up.
    Time will tell, but it will be interesting to see how everything plays out over the next two months leading up to the NHL Entry Draft.

     If you have any comments about this blog, feel free to email them to stankssports@gmail.com.
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